Buyers only get POSITIVE feedback??

[jjohnsonlowe]

I just got a message from ebay in "my ebay" -- all sorts of new stuff, prices, DSR -- but THIS got my goat -- soon, buyers will ONLY receive POSITIVE feedback!! Did anyone else get this message?? --

[poozybear*art]

"Check out this web broadcast from John Donahoe (new chief exec) and other eBay staff - regarding the upcoming changes " Thanks for posting this Ann. I didn't watch it all, but did get through a lot of it. What a bunch of you-know-what. These guys had pre-rehearsed answers for every question, and none of their answers really addressed the concerns. I especially resent that every reference to sellers was "PowerSellers," not sellers. I really feel that they want anyone who is not a PowerSeller to take a hike. The pimping of free shipping is pretty nauseating too. Did I hear them correctly . . . automatic 5.0 DSRs for anyone who offers free shipping? My stomach hurts. -- Kathy

[left-brained-leonardo-aint-no-artist---]

Total sales of goods at eBay.com in 2007 reached $59.35 billion. 20% of the sellers accounted for 80% of these sales, about 47.48 billion. Fine. That leaves $11.87 billion. I know of no good businessman who is going to leave that amount of money on the table or throw it in the dumpster, or ignore, even it were ALL flea market type items. It is the businessman's job to see that portion of the business also grows. -- Len "Nobody goes there anymore ... it's too crowded." --- Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, #8 "The secret of managing is keeping the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." "You could look it up" --- Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel, "The Old Perfesser", #37

[angelacmoore]

I have just bought from a seller who offers free shipping. His postage costs stars are 4.8. No automatic 5 stars there.

[poozybear]

If I understood it right, it's something they're considering. Or a least they *said* they are. It was in response to a seller who was complaining that he offers free shipping and has a poor star rating. That's been a real problem area for a lot of sellers. Some of them started offering free shipping, thinking that it would improve their DSRs, but it hasn't worked. I think a lot of buyers don't know what to click off, so they choose "Neither Reasonable Nor Unreasonable," which sounds like a neutral reply, but actually lowers the stars. -- Kathy

[drawdog5]

I didn't watch the entire webcast either, but felt the same way about it that you did, Kathy. Canned responses. They've decided they're going to make these changes no matter what and they're going to defend them to the bitter end. I was also annoyed that the focus on sellers was just on Power Sellers. Pretty much tells me that the rest of us don't count! -- -Ann "Then, you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with . . . a herring!”

[left-brained-leonardo-aint-no-artist---]

If a seller were trying to immediately raise cash and the seller had 20 open edition prints and the top 4 prints were producing 80% of the seller's sales (and the remaining 16 were producing 20% of the seller's sales) the seller would/should focus selling activity on the prints that were generating 20% of the seller's sales? -- Len "Nobody goes there anymore ... it's too crowded." --- Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, #8 "The secret of managing is keeping the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." "You could look it up" --- Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel, "The Old Perfesser", #37

[kengillam]

The whole thing just sucks have a read of this http://www.pheebay.com/?ebay-proves-it-is-now-an-over-confident-rebellious-teenager-74.html and make a note of the paragraph at the bottom about the Mom & Pop sellers, if the main userbase goes who are the Powersellers going to sell to? We hold the power, lets use it and go elsewhere like eBid or Tazbar. That's what will sort ebay out.

[waterbenderkatara]

the whole thing just stinks. I am closing my store too, and ironically it has been doing really well. It's just getting old and will inevitably continue to get worse. I will probably continue to sell my originals here, but my prints will all go elsewhere. At the end of today my store will close, I have my LE ACEO prints all discounted. Many have already sold, but there are some left if you want to check them out. -- -Lauren See my Original and LE available artwork here

[left-brained-leonardo-aint-no-artist---]

Well ... thank you Ken for giving me two viable alternatives and ... thank you Lauren for your strategy. My store is paid through the 15th. I beleive that ACEOs can still be sold profitably at the new ebay fee. My years in business tells me that eBay would be out of their minds to mess with their 11 billion dollar base (80% of sellers, 20% sales) but I have to acknowledge that there is a consensus that that is what there doing so ... Lauren would be right that it (fees) is inevitably going to get worse. I'm going to look at the alternatives both websites and strategy, with the attitude that eBay is, in fact, out of thier collective minds. Thanks -- Len "Nobody goes there anymore ... it's too crowded." --- Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, #8 "The secret of managing is keeping the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." "You could look it up" --- Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel, "The Old Perfesser", #37

[poozybear*art]

Ken, great article. I love this line the best: "Is the eBay user ID 'Walmart' taken?" Ann, another thing that bothered me about that webcast was all the emphasis on pleasing current "top" buyers, with very little interest in luring new ones. The basic attitude was 'yeah, new buyers are always welcome, but we have to take care of the current ones.' What the heck kind of company operates like that? When you're in retail, you ALWAYS have to be concerned with attracting new buyers. Of course you have to take care of current customers, but you can't quit caring about potential new ones. That's just nuts. -- Kathy

[poozybear*art]

Lauren, I closed my store on my other ID. They gave me a survey asking why I was closing it. Pffffffft! As if they care. I'm no longer going to sell the collectibles and other items that I've been selling for nearly nine years on my other ID. I'll never have the sales volume to make PowerSeller, so they win. I'm gone. I haven't decided what to do with my art yet. I'm taking an art break right now while I take a writing class, but once I start painting again, I'll probably continue to sell here (at least for now). I may have to move my art back over to my other ID as I understand sellers with FB under 100 will be penalized in search. What a big effed up mess! -- Kathy

[golders]

'Ebay has no incentive to stop nonpaying bidders, because it charges its fees and commissions regardless of whether a transaction goes sour.' I don't think Ebay will change it's decision......

[foundajewel]

Len Very interesting I Stated the same on another group I am in I too am charged 35% At one place and 40% at another, so Here On Ebay I will have to adjust my prices alittle as the majority of my sales are $1.50....but my bigger pieces when and if I ever list on them on Ebay I am still ahead than me being in a gallery and gift stores....and it does help us having the lower insertion fee for items that don't sell which is many for me and especially for my painting lately :( But I agree with everyone on the feedback what a crock is all I Can politly say at this time X-( Annette -- Edited by foundajewel at 01/31/2008 11:09 AM

[316barri]

i'm also checking into some different sites,will let you know what i find,and thanks ken! i hadn't heard of those 2! -- maiyuguachi..."no sweat"

[left-brained-leonardo-aint-no-artist---]

Annette ... I did a side by side comparison of the current fees vs. the new fees in my price range (.98 - 3.49 start) up to a $7.49 BIN taking into account final value and Paypal fees, and difference is about a shortfall of .35, which can be made up with a higher starting price (except for the .98 cent auctions) I'm going to look at the 2 alternative auctions and really keep an eye on feedback (I still think a 100% is the best hedge) ... so that if I have any problems, I'll be ready to move. I'm also rebuilding my website so I can send traffic to my listings and get FV fee credits. as far as the incentives they're giving, eBay is simply attempting to get a major increse in sales out of the top 20%, the people who know how to sell best. From an objective point of view it is really smart business. If they do not provide the incentives that smaller volume sellers are stores need however, they've solved one problem (sales) and created another (a disgruntled seller base) The wisest move is to keep a fairly steady flow of auctions and store inventory while evaluating the alternatives. My goodness ... I believe I am making sense. -- Len "Nobody goes there anymore ... it's too crowded." --- Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, #8 "The secret of managing is keeping the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." "You could look it up" --- Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel, "The Old Perfesser", #37